The present invention relates to an improved fishing lure with an internal bait storage cavity secured by a fixedly mounted plate to prevent loss of bait during use.

A variety of fishing lures have been developed for attracting fish. A common problem with fishing lures is that it is difficult to securely fasten bait to the lure. Bait is often lost during casting or jarred free by a fish bite. Another common problem is that fishhooks are often caught in debris or too difficult to remove from the fish. The fishhooks must then be cut or destroyed in order to remove them.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,521 discloses a fishing lure comprising a soft, flexible plastic body and tail. The body contains a large opening through which a fishhook is inserted. The body contains another large opening to place bait within a cavity. The cavity is covered by a flexible plastic flap, connected at one end, that is held in place either by the water pressure when trolling or by tucking the flap into the cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,757 discloses a fishing lure apparatus consisting of a hollow tube with threaded ends that can be filled with bait. The tube is surrounded by a plurality of plastic skirts to disguise the hollow tube, leader line, and hook. The operation of the lure requires the assembly of several couplings to secure the hollow tube and plastic skirts. The lure is attached to a new line by first threading the fishing line through each of the components, then assembling the components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,935 discloses a fishing lure comprising a body in the shape of a fish head that has a cylindrical cavity capable of accepting a cylindrical bait plug. A fishhook extends from the body of the lure and is not separable from the rest of the body.
What is desired therefore is a fishing lure that resembles the shape of a fish, has an internal cavity that is capable of securely holding various types and sizes of bait, has holes in the body that permit the surrounding fluid to make contact with the secured bait, has eyelets positioned at both ends of the lure capable of accepting various types and sizes of fishhooks, has a wire positioned axially within the lure body that connects the eyelets so that threading of the fishing line through the lure is unnecessary, and has removable plate for efficient and effortless access to the bait storage cavity, thereby providing fishermen with the flexibility to vary the types of bait they use. In addition, the plate must be fixedly mounted to the lure body so that loss of bait is prevented.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrodynamic, fish-shaped, fishing lure that has an internal cavity that is capable of securely encapsulating various types, sizes, and quantities of bait.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure that has holes in the lure body, positioned and angled in such a way as to permit the bait to be immersed in the surrounding fluid without jeopardizing the security of the bait, while permitting the fluid to flow over the bait and rearward from the lure.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure that has eyelets positioned at both ends of the lure body that are capable of accepting various types and sizes of fishhooks.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure that has a wire positioned axially within the lure body that connects the eyelets and eliminates the need to thread fishing line through the lure.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fishing lure that has a removable plate to access the bait storage cavity within and that is capable of being fixedly mounted to the body to prevent loss of bait during use.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by provision of a fishing lure with a hydrodynamic, fish-like shape, comprising a lure body that contains an internal, hollow cavity within the housing that is capable of being filled with bait. The lure body has a removable plate that provides access to the internal cavity and is capable of being fixedly mounted to the body to securely enclose the bait during use. The removable plate allows the fisherman to efficiently alternate between different types of bait. Holes are positioned on the body and angled in such a way to permit the fluid surrounding the body to flow into the internal cavity, over the bait contained within the cavity, and out the rear of the lure body as it moves through the water.
The lure body is colored or printed with a design or pattern to resemble a fish. A variety of colors and patterns can be used.
An eyelet is located at each end of the lure body. Each eyelet is capable of accepting various types and sizes of fishhooks to provide the fisherman with the flexibility of changing hooks without changing lures. A stainless steel or coated wire is coupled between the eyelets. The wire eliminates the need to thread the fishing line through the lure, thereby increasing the efficiency with which the fisherman can change lures. The wire also securely links the fishhook to the fishing line so that the hook will remain intact even if the lure body is damaged.
The removable plate is fixedly mounted to the lure body by two conventional screws, one at each end of the plate, although various other ways of attaching the plate are possible. A threaded eyelet may be substituted for one of the screws, thereby providing an additional location to attach a fishhook. Another example of an embodiment is forming a slot around the edges of the opening so that three sides of the plate slide securely into the slot and then securing the remaining side with a conventional screw, thereby preventing the plate from sliding back out. In lures molded from plastic, the plate may be constructed so that no screw is necessary to secure the plate and the plate clips into place. The plate may also be constructed with a forward or rearward lip, known as a xe2x80x9cspoonxe2x80x9d, to cause movement of the lure as it enters the water and during trolling.
The bait cavity can accept various types of bait ranging from live bait to powdered baits. A sponge can be inserted into the cavity to permit the use of liquid baits. The variety of baits and fishhooks that can be used enables the lure to be used for bottom fishing, cast and retrieve fishing, or trolling.
The invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.